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Compare Iran (2005) - Bhutan (2005)

Compare Iran (2005) z Bhutan (2005)

 Iran (2005)Bhutan (2005)
 IranBhutan
Administrative divisions 30 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Janubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e Shemali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan 18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Dagana, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang


note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse
Age structure 0-14 years: 27.1% (male 9,465,475/female 8,973,828)


15-64 years: 68% (male 23,556,970/female 22,701,065)


65 years and over: 4.9% (male 1,637,512/female 1,683,010) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 39.1% (male 452,213/female 420,675)


15-64 years: 56.9% (male 654,109/female 615,431)


65 years and over: 4% (male 45,281/female 44,582) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs
Airports 305 (2004 est.) 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 127


over 3,047 m: 39


2,438 to 3,047 m: 25


1,524 to 2,437 m: 26


914 to 1,523 m: 32


under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 178


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 9


914 to 1,523 m: 129


under 914 m: 39 (2004 est.)
total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Area total: 1.648 million sq km


land: 1.636 million sq km


water: 12,000 sq km
total: 47,000 sq km


land: 47,000 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Alaska about half the size of Indiana
Background Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority nominally vested in a learned religious scholar. Iranian-US relations have been strained since a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces between 1987-1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement. Following the elections of a reformist president and Majlis in the late 1990s, attempts to foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction have floundered as conservative politicians have prevented reform measures from being enacted, increased repressive measures, and consolidated their control over the government. In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps.
Birth rate 16.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 34.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $43.34 billion


expenditures: $47.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6 billion (2004 est.)
revenues: $146 million


expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of NA


note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (FY95/96 est.)
Capital Tehran Thimphu
Climate mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
Coastline 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001 the King commissioned the drafting of a constitution, and in November 2004 presented a draft to the Council of Ministers; now awaiting referendum
Country name conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran


conventional short form: Iran


local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran


local short form: Iran


former: Persia
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan


conventional short form: Bhutan
Death rate 5.55 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 12.94 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $13.4 billion (2004 est.) $245 million (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)
Diplomatic representation in the US none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073 none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; FAX [1] (212) 826-2998; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries to the Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE engage in direct talks and solicit Arab League support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island; Iran stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors approximately 104,000 Bhutanese refugees live in Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps; Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian separatists
Economic aid - recipient $408 million (2002 est.) substantial aid from India and other nations
Economy - overview Iran's economy is marked by a bloated, inefficient state sector, over reliance on the oil sector, and statist policies that create major distortions throughout. Most economic activity is controlled by the state. Private sector activity is typically small-scale - workshops, farming, and services. President KHATAMI has continued to follow the market reform plans of former President RAFSANJANI, with limited progress. Relatively high oil prices in recent years have enabled Iran to amass some $30 billion in foreign exchange reserves, but have not eased economic hardships such as high unemployment and inflation. The proportion of the economy devoted to the development of weapons of mass destruction remains a contentious issue with leading Western nations. The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are key resources. Model education, social, and environment programs are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. For example, the government, in its cautious expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale, environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.
Electricity - consumption 119.9 billion kWh (2002) 312.9 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 1.56 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 12 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 129 billion kWh (2002) 2.001 billion kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m


highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m


highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m
Environment - current issues air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization soil erosion; limited access to potable water
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1% Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
Exchange rates rials per US dollar - 8,614 (2004), 8,193.9 (2003), 6,907 (2002), 1,753.6 (2001), 1,764.4 (2000)


note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002
ngultrum per US dollar - 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61 (2002), 47.186 (2001), 44.942 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)


head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August 2005) First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-Yazdi (since 26 August 2001)


cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over appointments to the more sensitive ministries


elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 17 June 2005 with a two-candidate runoff on 24 June 2005 (next to be held NA 2009)


election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected president; percent of vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi RAFSANJANI 36%; note - 2% of ballots spoiled
chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972)


head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo Sangay NGEDUP (since 5 September 2005)


cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote
Exports 2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.) NA
Exports - commodities petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices
Exports - partners Japan 18.4%, China 9.7%, Italy 6%, South Africa 5.8%, South Korea 5.4%, Taiwan 4.6%, Turkey 4.4%, Netherlands 4% (2004) Bangladesh 47.4%, Japan 30.2%, France 3.4% (2004)
Fiscal year 21 March - 20 March 1 July - 30 June
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 11.2%


industry: 40.9%


services: 48.7% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 45%


industry: 10%


services: 45% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6.3% (2004 est.) 5.3% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 32 00 N, 53 00 E 27 30 N, 90 30 E
Geography - note strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
Heliports 13 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 167,157 km


paved: 94,109 km (including 890 km of expressways)


unpaved: 73,048 km (1998)
total: 4,007 km


paved: 24 km


unpaved: 3,983 km (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic narcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and according to official Iranian statistics there are at least two million drug users in the country; lax anti-money-laundering regulations -
Imports NA NA
Imports - commodities industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice
Imports - partners Germany 12.8%, France 8.3%, Italy 7.7%, China 7.2%, UAE 7.2%, South Korea 6.1%, Russia 5.4% (2004) Germany 65.4%, Japan 14.3%, Austria 6.8%, UK 4.5% (2004)
Independence 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed) 8 August 1949 (from India)
Industrial production growth rate 3.5% excluding oil (2004 est.) 9.3% (1996 est.)
Industries petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabrication, armaments cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide
Infant mortality rate total: 41.58 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 41.75 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 41.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 100.44 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 98.19 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 102.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 15.5% (2004 est.) 3% (2002 est.)
International organization participation CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO AsDB, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land 75,620 sq km (1998 est.) 400 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court - above a special clerical court, a revolutionary court, and a special administrative court Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch)
Labor force 23 million


note: shortage of skilled labor (2004 est.)
NA


note: massive lack of skilled labor
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.) agriculture 93%, industry and commerce 2%, services 5%
Land boundaries total: 5,440 km


border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km
total: 1,075 km


border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km
Land use arable land: 8.72%


permanent crops: 1.39%


other: 89.89% (2001)
arable land: 3.09%


permanent crops: 0.43%


other: 96.48% (2001)
Languages Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2% Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
Legal system the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats, note - changed from 270 seats with the 18 February 2000 election; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 20 February 2004 with a runoff held 7 May 2004 (next to be held February 2008)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - conservatives/Islamists 190, reformers 50, independents 43, religious minorities 5, and 2 seats unaccounted for
unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35 are designated by the monarch to represent government and other secular interests; members serve three-year terms)


elections: local elections last held November 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)


election results: NA
Life expectancy at birth total population: 69.96 years


male: 68.58 years


female: 71.4 years (2005 est.)
total population: 54.39 years


male: 54.65 years


female: 54.11 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 79.4%


male: 85.6%


female: 73% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 42.2%


male: 56.2%


female: 28.1% (1995 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan Southern Asia, between China and India
Map references Middle East Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf


continental shelf: natural prolongation
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 49, chemical tanker 4, container 14, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 30, roll on/roll off 2


foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)


registered in other countries: 8 (2005)
-
Military branches Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense)


Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army)


Law Enforcement Forces: (2004)
Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and Royal Bhutan Police) (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $4.3 billion (2003 est.) $13.7 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.3% (2003 est.) 1.8% (2004)
National holiday Republic Day, 1 April (1979)


note: additional holidays celebrated widely in Iran include Revolution Day, 11 February (1979); Noruz (New Year's Day), 21 March; Constitutional Monarchy Day, 5 August (1925)
National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907)
Nationality noun: Iranian(s)


adjective: Iranian
noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)


adjective: Bhutanese
Natural hazards periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate
Net migration rate -2.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines condensate/gas 212 km; gas 16,998 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,256 km; refined products 7,808 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in Iran and most conservatives still prefer to work through political pressure groups rather than parties; a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad front, which includes political parties as well as less formal pressure groups and organizations, achieved considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000; groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF); Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran); Solidarity Party; Islamic Labor Party; Mardom Salari; Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (MIRO); and Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majles elections in early 2004; a new apparently conservative group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, took a leading position in the new Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004 no legal parties
Political pressure groups and leaders political pressure groups conduct most of Iran's political activities; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat), Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh), and Islamic Engineers Society; active pro-reform student groups include the Organization for Strengthening Unity; opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various ethnic and Monarchist organizations; armed political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the government include Mujahidin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, and Komala Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for Democracy (exiled)
Population 68,017,860 (July 2005 est.) 2,232,291


note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line 40% (2002 est.) NA
Population growth rate 0.86% (2005 est.) 2.11% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Assaluyeh, Bushehr -
Radio broadcast stations AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998) AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)
Railways total: 7,203 km


broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge


standard gauge: 7,109 km 1.435-m gauge (189 km electrified) (2004)
-
Religions Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 2% Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female


total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female


total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 15 years of age; universal each family has one vote in village-level elections; note - in late 2003 Bhutan's legislature passed a new election law
Telephone system general assessment: inadequate but currently being modernized and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently connected


domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwave radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical level of the system has been raised by the installation of thousands of digital switches


international: country code - 98; HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat
general assessment: telecommunications facilities are poor


domestic: very low tele-density; domestic service is very poor especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003


international: country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2005)
Telephones - main lines in use 14,571,100 (2003) 25,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 3,376,500 (2003) 22,000 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997) 1 (2005)
Terrain rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Total fertility rate 1.82 children born/woman (2005 est.) 4.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 11.2% (2004 est.) NA
Waterways 850 km (on Karun River and Lake Urmia) (2004) -
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